Counterbalanced pavement traffic signal



Feb. 16, 1932. A. E. WILSON 1,845,714

COUNTBRBALANCED PAVEMENT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed larch 3, 19:51 2 Sheets-Sheet" 1 15 7 l Fla. 1 10 12 b c 8 4 1 I I G12 n l I; 6

3. I 1 c7.) 1 7 19km, J n x v "a v A 19 a7 7 I 11 INVENTOR,

01x21 6, MM

.4 TTORNEY.

(20UNTERBALANCED PAVEMENT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed March 5. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

B 0002( ATTORNEZ.

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITEDVSTATES mi. a. wmsou, or naturism whammy coum'nnmancan savanna raaflrro arenas Application fled Inch 8,

My invention relates to im rovements in. counterbalanced pavement tra c signals, and has for an object to rovidaa pavement signal block normally isposed above the pavement level, oscillative in a housing to the pavement level under pressure and returnable to its normal position above the pavement by the reaction a counterbalance.

Another object of my improvement is. to

provide said counterbalanced signal block with legends and lenses of red glass to refiect da light and head-light illumination.

Another object of my improvementisto provide said oscillative signal block with ll clear glass lenses made luminous b 'diflerent colored electric lamps, controlla le as desired, disposed within the said housing.

Other objects of my improvement will appear as the description lproceeds.

I attain these and ot er objects of my improvement with the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawin which form a part of this specification in which Figure 1 IS a plan view of my eounterbalanced pavement signal assembled for setting in a pavement, Fig. 2 is an elevation. view of Fig. 1 in section on a medial vertical lane, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a signal block segregated and arran d for one sort to of signal, Fi 4 is an end e evation of 3, Fig. 5 is a nt elevation of a signal bl segrelgatedland arranged for another sort of sign Fig. 5.

and Fig. 6 is an end elevation of Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout. Certain rts are brokenaway to show other parts hidden thereby.

With more particular reference to the) designated parts: A signal block housing 7 COHSIStS'Of four sides and a bottom with an opening 9 therein and a flange 8 around its top edge settable in pavement A flush with the top surface thereof. 7 The housing has up wardly open bearings 10, 10 in line on opposite sides thereof and near its upper edge on r the interior. Opening ,9 in the bottom of the housing is over and communicates with sewer connection 11 tocarry away any water which may enter the housing.

so Housing cover 12-fits snugly over housing 7 1m. lerhl Io. m

flush with the upper surface of flange 8 in a recess therein providing covers for open-top beann 10, 10 :and bearing on. the u per edge 0 thehousing wall. Oneend o the cover is beveled to engage beneath an overa hanging edge :18 of the flange and in theother end of the cover preferably is countersink 1212 having a hole in the bottom thereof to register with a tapped hole in the housing wall and flange into which is engaged screw 13 to secure theother end of the cover in place. A central rectangular o ning a12 in cover 12 is occupied by the signal block whichhas gudgeons 15, 15 to mount the block in bearings 10, 10 disposed to cause smaller 55 c lindrical sector 14 thereof to be adjacent t e front ed of cover opening (112 and larger cylindrical section 17 thereof adjacent the rear edge of cover 0 ening e12. The up per endof the signal b ock which may pro trude through 0 ning 012 has front wall 16 connectin smal er sector 14 with larger sector 17 an end walls 18, 18 to close the hollow upper end of said block except for the open bottom thereof. Said ends 18 are adjacent the endedges of opening 012. 0n the lower end of theblock are counterweights 19 disposed entirel cover 12. Bosses a7, a7 are on the inner walls of the W) y within the housing beneath housing beneath. bearings 10, 10 and have openings or reeessesin the sides thereof in which are fastened rubber cushions b7 and c7; cushions b7 being so disposed that counterweights 19 bear thereon when the upper end of the block isin its highest position in oscillation in bearings 10 and preventfurtheroscillation upward, and cush ions 07 bein so disposed that the end walls 18 of the ho ow upper end of the block hear so thereon when at 18 and stop further downward movement in oscillation of the upper endof the block. The completion of this movement brings the front wall 16 of the block substantially flush with the housing cover 12 at 16' and counterweights 19 to 19 close beneath said cover. 1

. Byv construction, counterweights 19 are of suficient wei t and are disposed to. retain the same against cushions 67 when no forces position in Fig. 2 till stopped by cushion 07,.

at which time front wall 16 of the block is flush with the housing cover, fills cover openmg (112 and provides alevel surface for the passing wheel. When said forces other than gravity cease to bear on the block, that is, when the wheel has passed the block, the counterbalances react and the block is' returned to its-full-line position shown 'in' Figs.

1 and 2. Meanwhile, during the; described positions of the block and its positions while passing therebetweenit continues to fully oo- ,cupy opening a12 in the cover 12 with only a small operative clearance therebetween- In Figs. 1 and 2clear glass lens 20 occupies an opening in block wall 16. Two electric lamp bulbs are mounted in suitable lamp;

5 sockets fastened to the interior walls of the housing with insulating material intervening, one of which is shown at 24 and the other at 25. Preferably'lamp 24 is red and lamp 25 is green in color,'and they are disposed to shine into the hollow part of the block between walls-16 and 17 thereof directly on lens 20 when said block is-extended above housing cover 12 as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Pair of electric wires 26 are i connected with lamp 24 and pair of electric wires 27 are connected with lamp 25. These wires are extended through pipe 28 in sewer connection 11 to a two-way electric switch- (not shown) which is supplied by electricity m. from a source thereof "(not shown). Bypref erence, said switch is automatically operable to alternately energize :lamps- 24 and 25. to

cause clear glass lens 20 to alternately glow red and green, respectively. This arrangement of'my signal is especially suited to be placed in the pavement at street intersections to automatically regulate traflicthereby.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is' shown my signal block arranged more especially for placing-in the pavement at thev beginningof areasover which it is desired to orderslower travel," as, for instance, in front of school "buildings. Here red lens 21 is fastened in block wall 16. Also on said wall is made the legend Slow. This legend may be painted on the'block as usual. But I prefer the construction shown in partial section in'Fig.;4 on 'the line H of Fig. 3. Here the letter S is the shape"- of an opening entirely-through the wall 16 which is occupied by letter S at 22 emwall 16 by plate 24 retained by screws ex- .tended through openings, thereinand engaged in tapped holes in said wall. Letters nd W are similarly embossed in every way similar-to that shown in Figs. '1 and 2 excepting that no lamps 24 and 25 nor pipe 28 and wires 26 and 27 therein need be used. Into said housing the slow-signal block'is installed by mounting gudgeons 15 thereof in bearings 10 thereon, and-securing cover 12' thereon. The red glass lens and letters of the block aremade a a rominent by daylight and headlight reflections, and the block. operates in the traflic in other ways similar to the block shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and above described indetail. I V

The sig'naLblock shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has red glass lens, 21 therein and legend Stop, preferably, in .red glass letters in:

stalled as above describedrelative to the block shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This signal block is suitable to install in the pavement for a trafiic signal at the intersection of a street with anarterial .highwa when the said block is properly mounted'm myhous- .ing 7 as described above.

,Thus it is apparent that my counterbalanced signal block is well suited to expose desired traflic signalson the pavement m a prominent manner without interfering with the most congested trafiic.

Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, c 1

1. Apavement traflic signal device including a housing for installing in said pavement even with the surface thereof having upwardly+open bearings and stop bosses on oppositeinterior wallsthereof, a cover securable to said housing even withthe top thereof having an opening therethrough, a signal block having gudgeons thereon in-line with each other onopposite edges of the block for mounting said block in said. bearings for oscillation limited by said stop bosses said signal block having a hollow upper end open at the bottom extended through-said cover :opening adjacent'the edges of .the opening during oscillations froman erect position protruding above said cover toa recumbent position even-with the cover, a counterweight on the lower endof the, signal block within .the housing reacting to return the block from said'recumbent position to said erect position, transparent signal means in said lock, electriclamps mounted in said housing disposed to illumine said signal means 1 through said open bottom of the-block, and bossed in red glass on'red glass plate 23 which is retained in place against the inner side "of drainage means connected withsaid housing.

2. A pavement traflic signal device including a housing for installing 'in-the pavement even with the surface thereof, upwardlyopen bearings on the side walls of said housmos uann in a si al block havin alined d ns on the e s thereof installed in s i d fising with said dgeons mounted in said housing bearings or oscillation, a counterweight on said signal block installed within said housing tending to project said signal block above said housing, and a cover removably fastened on said housing having an o ning therein through which said signal b ock is extended.

3. A pavement traific signal device including a housing for installing in the pavement even with the surface thereof, upwardlyopen hearings on the side walls of said housing alined with each other, a signal block having alined gud us on the ends thereof installed within said housing with said gudgeons mounted for oscillation in said bearings, a counterweight on said signal block installed within said housing tending to project said signal blockahove said housing, a cover removably fastened on said housing having an opening therein through which said signal block is being extended, and cushioned stops within said housing limiting the oscillations of said signal block and counterweight thereon.

4. A pavement trailic signal device including a housing for installing in the pavement even with the surface thereof, upwardlyopen hearings on the side walls of the housing alined with each other, a signal block having alined gudgeons on the ends thereof installed within said housing with said gudgeons mounted in said bearings for oscillation, a counterweight on said signal block installed within said housing tending to project said signal block above said housing, cushioned stops in said housing disposed to limit said oscillations of said signal block, and a cover removablv fastened on said housing disposed above and adjacent said gudgeons when in said bearings retaining said gudgeons in operative relation therewith having an open ing therein through which said signal block is being extended.

5. A pavement trafiic signal device including a housing for installing in the pavement even with the surface thereof, a pair of upwardly-open hearings on the side walls of said housing, a hollow signal block having a plane front wall adapted for signal means and an arcuate rear wall, gudgeons in the ends of said signal block concentric with said areuate wall thereof mounted in said bearings for oscillation, a counterweight rigidly fastened on the lower art of said signal block disposed in said housing tending to project said signal block above said housing by oscillating on said gudgeons in said bearings, and" acover removably fastened over said housing having an opening therein through which said signal block is being extended.

AXEL E. WILSON. 

